Iím trying to decide if I want to swap an LS1 or a VQ35de in my S14. Iím ok with the horsepower of a VQ with bolt ons. Iím just worried about the turn in would be affected with the VQ as opposed to the LS1. I already have both engines. Iím also concerned with the difficulty of the swaps. Has anyone ever done both swaps or driven 240s with both engines in them?

ls is a tried and true swap, thanks to gm putting them in everything under the sun parts are cheap for the most part. wiring is stupid simple and almost every major city has a couple craigslist dudes that do simple 3 wire harness conversions if you dont want to mess with wiring. Also down the road if you want to add more power you cant beat a ls motor in that department.

I'd only do vq if I had one laying around and didnt have the means to get a ls.

Vq platform is awesome, don’t let the hate get mixed up with the facts.
If you go LS go for a REAL LS, aluminum block.

Iron block truck motors may not be REAL LS's, but they are better for turbo setups. And if you follow the advice from above, WhY dO nA LS sWaP fOr sr20 PoWeR?... If you want "bigger" numbers, the REAL LS is not necessarily the best option.

You can't beat the price and reliability of a $400 truck motor when doing a chevy v8 swap. (Notice I didn't say LS swap)

I’m really just trying to figure out how the extra weight of the LS1 affects the turn in and transient response of the front end of the car. I don’t have a vq30det, SR, 2JZ,or truck motor. I don’t care about being original. I really don’t care about mixing engines and chassis’. I need some insight on the “feel” of both cars from some one who’s driven both.

As much as I looooooooooooooove the VQ sound, and the fact it's a shorter length block due to having less cylinders, which means it's more centrally placed in the engine bay, and helps with overall balance. . . the overall cost is crazy. Cost alone is what prevented me from going VQ. The cost of the swap, the cost of the swap components, cost of the ECU anti-theft and tuning were sky high compared to the LS option.

LS is soooooooo cheap, and even if you blow it up you can replace it 2 or 3 times before you even come close to what the VQ swap would cost.

If you're just aiming for 400-500 hp, a simple cam swap is all you'll need

VQ sounds so awesome ON PAPER. But once you start actually comparing the costs of swapping one vs an LSx, you quickly see why VQ swaps aren't as popular. By the time you finish swapping a VQde into your S-Chassis, you could have probably just bought a HR 350z or maybe even a 370Z for about the same money.

Once you add that fact that VQde's are complete dogs when it comes to making more power, it really seems obvious to me.
But I do actually like the VQ in it's native chassis. It's a total workhouse, kinda like the KA.

No, no to the V6 of any manufacturer. Unless an extraordinary circumstance occurs a V6 is a terrible idea for a large, overwhelming number of reasons I will summarize with one sentence

"You get all of the hassles of a V-configuration, without the two extra cylinders"

Its never a choice between something and a V6. You are either straight 4, 6, or V8, V10, V12, etc

I would even say 2jz over LS if you can afford the engines and have a light vehicle.

No question that working with only one side of plumbing is 100% easier and simplified, and that 4-valve cylinder overhead cam heads are far superior, with hemispherical combustion chambers and optimal plug placement, main girdle support, piston oil squirters, I mean come on its just too good

^^^FRFR. Inline engines FTW. So much easier to work on and less parts to buy. I hate the idea of having to buy 2 exhaust manifolds or headers or 4 cams for a dohc v6. At least the LSx only has 1 cam to upgrade. All the upgraded head options on the LS help it's appeal too. Plus, damn, just look at the LSx's intake manifold. Then look at the VQ35DE's. That shit so ugly. And so are the aftermarket units.

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Originally Posted by Kingtal0n

somebody post the thread where the guy weighs the car before and after and its more balanced with the LS in it.

Although LS have their own share of serious flaws, like dying from valvetrain failure when fitted with a cam without serious work on rockers, pushrods, springs and so on, or when revved slightly too often near the rev limiter even stock, or not being able to take some Gs without oiling problems, i would not bother swapping a VQ. There really is no point. A VQ will do around 300hp tops A CA or SR will do the same, stock. The gearbox will be at its limits, true, but then you can put a VQ gearbox in it. Heck, for the price of a VQ swap you can put a sequential dog box instead.
VQ rods are weak so you cannot turbo them without building them. It makes no sense to use one, unless some rule states you can change the engine but only take another one from the same manufacturer. That and they take up quite a lot of room being DOHC.

Want turbo LS ? go cast iron truck block. Want NA power ? well ... aluminium blocks have become expensive and cannot be rebored, so you might regret that weight saving aluminium thing the instant you drop a valve (because it will happen, unless you source an LT from a C7 corvette. Even then ...), but either are valid choices.
With a nicely built valvetrain, a cam, an LS Next block from dart and dry sumping they will reliably make a ton of power.

ls swap won't have you kicking yourself in the ass years from now. oem support for the vq won't last forever. other than that vq sounds awesome and has a great powerband for an s chassis that you can keep the pedal mashed down on. ls means you will be doing fine inputs on the throttle 99% of the time.

if i had lots of money to blow i'd love a vq35hr/37vhr swapped s chassis with just some longtubes and exhaust. good for a dd and you can wind it out on a track.

As much as I looooooooooooooove the VQ sound, and the fact it's a shorter length block due to having less cylinders, which means it's more centrally placed in the engine bay, and helps with overall balance. . . the overall cost is crazy. Cost alone is what prevented me from going VQ. The cost of the swap, the cost of the swap components, cost of the ECU anti-theft and tuning were sky high compared to the LS option.

LS is soooooooo cheap, and even if you blow it up you can replace it 2 or 3 times before you even come close to what the VQ swap would cost.

If you're just aiming for 400-500 hp, a simple cam swap is all you'll need

I've ridden in this guys car and it makes me regret the fully built SR I have. If I had it to do all over again I would go V8.

Although LS have their own share of serious flaws, like dying from valvetrain failure when fitted with a cam without serious work on rockers, pushrods, springs and so on,

Actually. And I am not just saying this. The factory rockers are amazing from 2001+ and everybody uses them, reliable even at 1k rwhp with stock pushrods and heads.

The trick like most engines is using low lift and gentle ramps.

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or when revved slightly too often near the rev limiter even stock, or not being able to take some Gs without oiling problems

Be reasonable with RPM. 6000rpm is practical for almost any 02+. I might take a 4.8L which is a de-stroked 5.3L to 7k frequently.

The G's without oil problems is in the oil pan. So many simply fill extra 2qts of oil when drag racing. others and especially in swaps use a custom oil pan, the sikky unit for example has a trap which only allows oil back to the center pickup and not back out to the edges of the pan.